Abstract
BackgroundThe dataset contains records of small mammals (Eulipotyphla and Rodentia) collected in the background (unpolluted) areas in the vicinity of Karabash copper smelter (Southern Urals, Russia) and the territory of the Sultanovskoye deposit of copper-pyrite ores before the start of its development. Data were collected during the snowless periods in 2007 (18 sampling plots), 2008–2010 (13 plots annually), 2011 (30 plots) and 2012–2014 (19 plots annually). The capture of animals was carried out in different types of forests (pine, birch, mixed and floodplain), sparse birch stands, reed swamps, marshy and dry meadows, border areas, a household waste dump, areas of ruderal vegetation and a temporary camp. Our study of small mammals was conducted using trap lines (snap and live traps). During the study period, 709 specimens of small mammals were caught, which belonged to five species of shrews and 13 species of rodents. The dataset may be highly useful for studying regional fauna and the distribution of species in different habitats and could also be used as reference values for environmental monitoring and conservation activities.New informationOur dataset contains new information on occurrences of small mammals. It includes the peculiarities of their habitat distribution in the background areas in the vicinity of the large copper smelter and the deposit of copper-pyrite ores before the start of its development (Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia). All occurrence records of 18 mammal species with georeferencing have been published in GBIF.
Highlights
Small mammals (Eulipotyphla and Rodentia) are ubiquitous, abundant, fertile, have a short life cycle and respond quickly to abiotic and biotic factors (Lidicker 1988, Krebs 1996, Lidicker 1999). Animals of these groups are traditionally used as the model objects of various ecological studies, including studies focusing on the monitoring of terrestrial ecosystems that have been affected by anthropogenic impacts (Sheffield et al 2001)
More and more negative changes are observed in communities; these can often be nonlinear in nature (Lukyanova and Lukyanov 1998, Kataev 2005, Kozlov et al 2005, Mukhacheva 2013, Mukhacheva 2021)
We present data on the distribution of 18 species of small mammals over five districts of the Chelyabinsk Oblast (Kyshtymsky, Karabashsky, Kunashaksky, Argayashsky and Miassky) in 14 main habitats
Summary
The dataset contains records of small mammals (Eulipotyphla and Rodentia) collected in the background (unpolluted) areas in the vicinity of Karabash copper smelter (Southern Urals, Russia) and the territory of the Sultanovskoye deposit of copper-pyrite ores before the start of its development. The dataset may be highly useful for studying regional fauna and the distribution of species in different habitats and could be used as reference values for environmental monitoring and conservation activities. Our dataset contains new information on occurrences of small mammals. It includes the peculiarities of their habitat distribution in the background areas in the vicinity of the large copper smelter and the deposit of copper-pyrite ores before the start of its development (Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia). Occurrence records, insectivores, rodents, biological diversity, landscapehabitat diversity, environmental heterogeneity, industrial pollution
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